Writer Adam Mallinger Not Returning For 'Superman & Lois' Season 4

Mallinger, aka Bitter Script Reader announced on his Twitter it was due to the show’s budget cuts

While we knew Superman & Lois’s renewal for a fourth season at the fully Nexstar-controlled The CW was going to come with a steep price. A shorter season at ten episodes from the usual thirteen, a pruned cast from 13 to 5? Easily expected. But a smaller writing staff probably wasn’t considered, at least by fans.

Indeed, the budget cuts have hit the writers’ room. To what extent? It’s unclear but what is known is it’s at least one writer: Adam Mallinger. Better known as Bitter Script Reader well before he got the Superman & Lois gig, he took to his account to make the announcement.

"Disappointing news – due to budget cuts, I won't be returning on staff at Superman & Lois for season 4," Mallinger wrote to start a thread that lasted two subsequent tweets. "I debated saying anything, but I've tweeted my way into literally every TV job I've had, so it seemed prudent to announce I'm available for staffing. Obviously, this isn't what I was hoping for, but after the cuts to cast and episode order, it's no surprise, either. My showrunners were in a difficult spot, and I want to be clear they've handled it the best they could. Making TV is hard sometimes." Mallinger followed up in the wake of an outpouring of support by adding, "Limiting myself to mostly 'liking' posts because otherwise I'm gonna miss someone, but you're all making me feel like George Bailey here with all the kind, supportive things you're saying. Thank you all."

Mallinger started out as a writers’ assistant from the series’s pilot and is apparently credited as such for subsequent season 1 episodes "Heritage", "The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower", "Haywire", "The Best of Smallville", "Broken Trust", and "Man of Steel". His first episode written was the season’s tenth episode "O Mother, Where Art Thou?". His IMDB page has him listed as a staff writer for all of both subsequent seasons, with writing credits for season 2's "Girl… You’ll Be A Woman, Soon" and season 3's "Forever and Always". Prior to this series he was a writers assistant on Blood & Treasure.

Superman & Lois season 4 still has Todd Helbing as showrunner, and four returning series regulars: Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent aka Superman, Bitsie Tulloch as Lois Lane, and Alex Garfin and Michael Bishop as their twin sons, Jordan and Jonathan. Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor has been promoted to the sole non-Kent series regular following appearances at the end of season three. Dylan Walsh as Gen. Sam Lane, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang, Erik Valdez as her ex-husband Kyle Cushing, Inde Navarrette as their daughter Sarah Cortez, Wolé Parks as John Henry Irons, Tayler Buck as his daughter Natalie Lane Irons, Sofia Hasmik as Smallville Gazette journalist and Kyle’s new pregnant fiancée Chrissy Beppo, and Chad L. Coleman as Bruno Manheim have all been dropped as series regulars.

While writers’ rooms are opening up again, the negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP last saw the latter leave the negotiating table. Talks resume Tuesday.

Sources: Adam Mallinger, IMDB, Arrowverse Wiki